Gate



March 24, 1931. J MCDEVITT 1,798,096

JGATE Filed Nov. 4, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheetv l INVENTOR. J 1% fDw z' if;

/ ATTORNEY.

March 24, 1931. MCDEVITT GATE 2 Sheets- 2 INVENTOR. -if 2761411;

Filed Nov 4 1929 BY ATTORNEY- Patented Mar. 24, 1931 maoae T OFFICE,

JOHN H. MCIDEVITT, OF OULPEPER, VIRGINIA GATE Application filed November 4, 1929. Serial No. 404,705.

This invention relates to a gate part-icu larly adapted for use in connection with motor vehicular trafiic and has for its primary object to provide, in a. manner as hereinafter set forth, a gate of such class which is normally latched in closed position and which may be opened by the contact of a vehicle approaching from either direction with a latch releasing means carried by the gate.

A further object of the invention is to providea gate of the character aforesaid which is provided with means for automatically closing the gate after the passage of the vehicle therethrough.

' A further object of the invention is to provide a gate of the character aforesaid in which the latch releasing means is disposed vertically in order that the same may be operated by a man on horseback.

With the foregoingand other objects in view, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as hereinafter more particularly clescribed, and as illustrated in the accompany ing drawings wherein is shown an embodiment of the invention, but it is to be under- I stood that the description and drawings are to be taken asillustrative and that the invention is intended to be limited only by the scope of the claims hereunto appended.-

In the accompanying drawings in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same:

Figure 1 is an elevation of a gate in accord '3 ance with this invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan thereof.

Figure 3 is a horizontal section thereof.

Figure 4 is a section taken on the line 44, Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a section taken on the line 55, Figure 2. V Figure 6 is a section taken on theline 66 of Figure 1.

, Referring to the drawings in detail, the

'4 numerals 1 and 2 designate a support post and a latch post respectively which are adapted to be disposed on opposite sides of a driveway. Disposed between the posts 1 and 2 is a gate structure which includes a vertically disposed end member 3 which is hinged to the post 1 by means of a vertical rod 4 which extends through a pair of spaced eye forming members 5 projecting from the member 3 and through a similar pair of eye forming mem bers 6; projecting from the post 1. Secured at their inner ends to the member 3 is a plurality of spaced, horizontal members 7, the outer ends of which are secured to a pair of vertically disposed end members 8 disposed on opposite side-s of the horizontal members 7. Substantially midway between the end members 8 and 3 is a pair of vertical brace members 9 which are similar to the end members 8 and which are disposed on opposite sides of the horizontal members 7. Extending from the brace members9 to the end member 3 is a pair of diagonally disposed brace members 10 which are disposed on opposite sides of the horizontal members 7 and which are fixedly secured thereto. V Disposed between the brace members 9 and end members 8 is a pair of trip boards 11 which are connected with the brace members 9 by means of hinges 12. The't-rip boards 11 are arranged to extend in a vertical direction with the upper ends thereof extending above the upper ends of the brace members 9 and the trip boards 11 are'connected together adjacent their upper ends by means of a chain 13.

Extending from the opposing faces of the trip boards 11 are pins 14, one of which is located above the other, and which cross each other adjacent their free ends. Extending longitudinally of the gate structure, and slidable between the braces 9 and end members 8, is a latch bar '15, the outer end of which is adapted to be received between a pair of oppositely disposed latch members'16 pivoted intermediate their ends to the latch post 2. i

The pivots 16 for the latch member 16 are disposed between the centers and the outer ends of the latter whereby the inner ends of the members 16 will normally tend to swing about the pivots 16 in downward arcs. Outwardly and upwardly space-d from the pivots 16 are stops 17 against which the outer end portions of the members 16 abutwhen the inner ends of the latter are swung to their downward positions. The inner end edges side of the latch bar.

of the members 16 are beveled as indicated at- 18' whereby such edges are disposed vertically when the members 16 are in abutment with the stops 17, and the members 16 are of appropriate length to position the vertical c edges 18 in spaced relation for the reception of the outer end of the latch bar 15 itherebetween.

Projecting from the upper face of the latch bar 15 is a pin 17 for engagement with the pins 14 carried by the trip boards '11. The latch bar 15 is normally held with the outer end thereof projecting between the vertical edges 18 of the latch members 116 by means of a spring 18 which extends longitudinally of the latch bar 15 and the ends of which are connected with the latch bar and with the end members 8. When the latch bar 15 is in latching position, the pin 17 is drawn forcibly against the pins 14 whereby the free longitudinal edges of the trip boards 11 are forced away-from each other as illustrated in Figure 2. V

The latch bar 15 is normally maintained in alignment with the space between the vertical edges 18 of the latch members 16 by means of a pair of springs 19', the inner ends of which are secured to one of the horizontal members 7, and the outer ends of which are connected, by means of a pair of turnbuckles 20, with an elongated supporting element '21 which is rigidly secured to the supporting post 1 and which extends in parallel relation to the driveway. The turnbuckles 20 are adjusted in a manner to provide the springs 19 with equal tension whereby the gate structure will be normally extended between the posts 1 and 2 with the latch bar 15 in alignment with the Vspacebetween the vertical edges 18 of the latch members 16.

When it is desired to operate the gate to open the same by the contact of a vehicle therewith, the vehicle is driven against one of the trip boards 11 whereby the free edge of such trip board will be swung towards the horizontal members 7 as indicated in Figure 3. Such movement of the trip boards 11 causes the pin 14 carried thereby to force the latch bar 15 out of engagement with the latch members 16 by the engagement of the pin 14 with the'pin 17 after which the gate may be swung to open position by driving the vehicle between the posts 1 and 2. In order to prevent any likelihood of the vehicle fouling the operation of the latch bar 15, a protecting element such as a screen 28 is provided on either from the end members 8 to a point adjacent the trip boards 11 and are fixedly secured to the horizontal members 7 and the end members 8. Preferably a bumper 24 is secured to the outer face of each of the end members 8 to prevent the finish of the vehicle from being marred by the end members 8 as the vehicle passes the same.

The screens 23 extend When the gate is swung to closure position by means of the springs 19, the outer end of the latch bar 15 is caused to ride under the nearest latch member 16 in contact with the lower face of the latter whereby the inner be returned by ,gravityto its normal position and the outer end of the latch bar 15 will be positioned between the opposing inner ends of the latch members 16, thereby latching the gate .i-n closure position until the latch bar 15 is moved longitudinally to remove the outer end thereof from the space between the vertical edge's 18.

When approaching the gate on horseback, the gate may be opened by grasping one of the trip boards 11 adjacent its upper end and forcing the free edge thereof towards. the horizontal members 7 whereby the latch bar 15 will be removed from engagement with the latch members 16 in the same manner as heretofore described. .As soon as the object passing through the gate has become disengaged therefrom, the same will be returned to closure position by means of the springs 19.

It is thought that the many advantages of a gate in accordance with this invention will be readily apparent, and although the preferred embodiment ofthe invention is as illustrated and described, yet it is to be understood that changes in the size, shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, so long as such changes fall within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a gate structure, the combination of a latch post, a swinging gate adjacent the latch post, a latch bar slidably mounted on the gate, latching means on the latch post for engagement by said latch bar, yielding means nor- 'mally holding the latch bar in engagement with said latching means, vertically disposed trip boards mounted on opposite sides of the gate to swing on vertical axes, and meeting means carried by the latch bar and trip boards for normally extending the free vertical edges of thetripboards from the gate when the latch bar is in latching position, said coacting means operating ,to disengage said latch bar from said latching means when the free vertical edges of one of said'trip boards are moved towards the gate, said trip boards extending throughout the entire height of the gate and projecting above the latter.

2. In a gate structure, the combination of a latch post, a swingin gate adjacent the latch post, a latch bar slida ly mounted on the gate, latching means on the latch post for engagement by said latch bar, yielding means normally holding the latch bar in engagement with said latching means, vertically disposed trip boards mounted on opposite sides of the gate to swing on vertical axes, and coacting means carried by the latch bar and trip boards for normally extending the free vertical edges of the trip boards from the gate when the latch bar is in latching position, said coacting means including a pair of pins projecting horizontally from the trip boards and disposed in intersecting relation, and a stud projecting vertically from the latch bar in contacting relation with said pins, each of said pins operating to disengage said latch bar from said latching means by the engagement of the pin with the stud when the free vertical edge of the trip board from which such pin projects is moved towards the gate.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature hereto.

JOHN H. McDEVITT. 

